The little screenshot nestled to the left of this text contains something that makes us very happy.
It’s a change-log for GNOME Software that mentions handler support for opening Snappy URLs is on the way.
Why do we find that exciting? Allow me to explain.
You may have noticed that when we write about a new Snap app available to install on Ubuntu, e.g, like KeePassXC, Remmina 1.2, and the (awesome) endless runner Oh My Giraffe to name. we give you a terminal command to type out.
It looks like this:
sudo snap install ohmygiraffe
But when we write about an app or package available available from the main Ubuntu repos (i.e. via apt) we use a big shiny clickable button that looks like this:
When you click that button on an Ubuntu machine the Ubuntu Software apps opens up the app we linked to, so you can ahead and hit install, or close the window and wonder why you bothered.
But if you thought that we did gave your terminal text links for Snap apps because we love the command line you’re only half right. We have to give you a command to install Snap apps because — presently — there’s no URL trigger that can open an application’s page in Ubuntu Software app ready for you to install it.
But the change-log above says that is about to change. Canonical is adding snap://package URL support to Ubuntu Software, a patched version of the upstream GNOME Software app.
Snap URLs mean that in future we, and anyone else, can give you a big shiny clickable button (or a discrete humdrum text link) to install apps with:
Whenever the update rolls out fully to everyone (it’s currently in the proposed repo for both xenial and yakkety ) you should be able to hit the button below to install whatever it is we linked to. In this instance it’s the Oh My Giraffe! game Snap:
Little things like this really matter.